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Croatian hip-hop musician IFEEL creates music to give voice to the voiceless beings we call animals. "Why I Do It" is a debut video from the upcoming album. It sums up why IFEEL makes music. One part of the video was shot on a unique location: inside a cold, dark nuclear fallout shelter, symbolizing the "safest" and one of the most feared places for humans. Many animals are forcibly held in places that are also cold, dark and far away from life. However, they are totally unsafe, unprotected and brutally butchered there. From there, their cries cannot be easily heard. The video also shows that hip-hop can stay true to its original cause and act as a catalyst for positive change and not be inspired by "fame & bitches" as it often is these days.

Blissful Chef Christy Morgan and her widely popular cookbook Blissful Bites: Vegan Meals That Nourish Mind, Body, and Planet are hitting the road for an East Coast book tour. Each stop will feature a chance for readers to meet the mastermind behind the delicious and easy recipes featured in the cookbook. It takes vegan cooking to a whole new level by showing readers that eating without harming the environment does not have to be complicated. All the recipes are plant-based and free of processed foods, yet this does not make them any less appetizing.

California's shark fin ban was a big step toward ending the shark fin trade, as the state is the largest market for fins outside of Asia. The ban goes into effect in January 2013. In the meantime, New York may be the next state to ban the sale of shark fins. The Empire State would join California along with Oregon, Hawaii and Washington which have already established bans. According to the NY Times, a bill currently in Albany "would ban the sale, trading, possession and distribution of shark fins, possibly as of 2013." Shark finning has been under fire from many animal groups and conservationists for its cruel method and its rapid depletion of shark populations. Sharks are a top predator and therefore vital to ocean ecosystems. Several other states currently have bills that may ban the sale of shark fins including Florida, Maryland and Virginia. New York is the largest importer of shark fins on the east coast, and would be another huge step.

On Feb 8, Amy Jung and her son Ethan from Wisconsin stopped by their local Humane Society to play with the adoptable cats. It was there that they met Pudding, a 21-pound orange and white tabby who had been at the shelter on and off since 2003. Moved by his plight, the Jungs adopted Pudding, as well as Wimsy, one of Pudding's fellow felines. Later that night, Jung, a lifelong diabetic, slipped into a diabetic seizure in her sleep. That's when Pudding came to her rescue, nudging and biting at her until she awoke long enough to call out to her son. Ethan was asleep and didn't hear her plea for help. So Pudding sprang into action again, pouncing on Ethan's bed until he woke up and was able to get medical assistance. Both Jung and her doctors agree that Pudding's actions saved her life - apparently his way of thanking her for rescuing him from the shelter. Pudding is now a registered therapy cat who has been trained to sit at Jung's feet and meow if her blood sugar drops.

On Feb 21, Ohio governor John Kasich signed House Bill 14 into law and forever changed the lives of pit-bull-type dogs in Ohio. What this means in Ohio is local dog wardens will no longer be obliged to kill every pit bull who enters a shelter because the law banning the adoption of pit bulls to the public has been changed. Pit bull guardians will no longer be forced to carry punitive insurance policies because their bully-looking dog will no longer be deemed legally vicious just because of his or her appearance. HB 14 replaces the previous breed-based vicious dog law with a graded system based on behavior, not appearance. There are now three categories of problem dog: nuisance, dangerous, and vicious, with sanctions appropriate to the level of aggressive behavior. While the passage of HB 14 represents the end of statewide breed bans, there are still many challenges ahead for these dogs at the local level in some cities and counties around the country where they are rounded up and "deported" or killed.

The international animal rights organization Animal Equality has just released a shocking video with images filmed at a pig farm in El Escobar, located in Fuente Alamo in the Spanish region of Murcia. The video shows some of the most brutal scenes of violence against animals at farms that their Investigation Team has ever witnessed. Animal Equality has pressed charges against the farm owner and workers.

A rights group says animal welfare is becoming an increasingly trendy concern among ordinary Chinese as celebrities like basketball star Yao Ming speak out against shark fin soup and bear bile tonics. The founder of the Hong Kong-based Animals Asia Foundation, Jill Robinson, said Tuesday that she's seen interest in animal rights snowball in China over the last few years, spurred by support from celebrity activists like Yao and shifting attitudes among young people.

"The Vampire Diaries" hunk and animal activist Ian Somerhalder doesn't hold back when it comes to protecting his fellow animals. This past weekend, the 33-year-old actor tweeted in support of an anti-fur campaign. "Fur sucks…Really @ISF_AusSupport: Furs: Animals being killed so you can wear your new fox coat – The Petition Site." The petition targets fur wearers and supporters. Besides being known for his acting abilities, Somerhalder is widely recognized for the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, which he founded to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects in as many ways possible to impact the planet and its creatures in a positive way. Somerhalder has been recognized in more ways than one for his kind actions. Recently, it was announced he would be honored on March 24th by the Humane Society of the United States. He will be presented with the highly prestigious Wyler Award for helping animals.

The California division of the Humane Society of the United States posted a picture of the golden state's new Fish and Game commission president Dan Richards holding up a dead mountain lion. Since it's illegal to shoot mountain lions in California, Richards traveled to Idaho to fulfill his blood thirst. As HSUS California points out, a mountain lion isn't killed for food, but instead for sport. Richards doesn't just stop at hunting mountain lions. He also attempts to derail efforts to protect animals. He opposed the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) and called Schwarzenegger "a forked-tongue devil" for supporting the law.

The Budget Committee of the National Assembly recently voted through a proposal to "prepare measures to end the practice of bear farming through investigation of the current status of bear farming and its management plan." The approval of this proposal means that the government has cleared a budget of 200 Million Korean Won ($175,000 USD) to ascertain the current situation of bears on farms in Korea, and design ways to end the practice. The approval of this proposal is a compelling sign that the Korean government recognizes the need to end bear farming. This is the first time that the Korean Ministry of the Environment has publicly stated its desire to end bear farming in Korea and demonstrated a clear commitment to work up details of how this will be done.

Ian Somerhalder, the eco-friendly actor, has a soft spot for cats, and has a gaggle of rescue kitties at home. He told Eonline, "I've got a number of them and sometimes that number fluctuates because there will be a rescue that's fostered a little bit. There's a lot of fur." This isn’t the first time Somerhalder has stepped up for animals. Last year he petitioned Congress to protect a number of species, and also spoke up on behalf of leatherback turtles. His efforts haven't gone unnoticed. On March 24, Somerhalder is slated to receive the United States Humane Society's prestigious Wyler Award at the organization's annual Genesis Awards. Named for the late Gretchen Wyler, the award is bestowed each year "on a celebrity or public figure who has made news on behalf of animals." According to an HSUS press release, Somerhalder was chosen for the award because of his work spreading the word about animal welfare issues such shark finning, fur in fashion, and the Canadian seal hunt.

Six little pigs have found a new friend in a maternal French bulldog named Baby. The Lehnitz animal sanctuary outside Berlin says Baby took straight to the wild boar piglets when they were brought in Saturday, three days old and shivering from cold. Sanctuary worker Norbert Damm said Wednesday as soon as the furry striped piglets were brought in, Baby ran over and started snuggling them and keeping them warm, even though they're already about her size. He says the piglets' mother was likely killed by a hunter and the litter was found abandoned in a forest. The piglets are being bottlefed right now and should be released to an animal sanctuary when they can feed themselves in about three months.

Gwyneth Paltrow continues expanding her healthy lifestyle, and this time she's become the new face of a vegan and vegetarian food line sold at Spar Supermarkets in Austria. "Spar Veggie" offers 43 fresh and frozen food options. Paltrow describes herself as only a "part-time" vegetarian, but that didn't hold her back from becoming a sponsor. For over two days, Paltrow filmed advertisements in Paris, which launch today on Austrian TV and billboards. "They are a real healthy alternative if you want to quickly serve something," she said excitedly. Only the freshest of produce is used, as more than 70 percent of the meals are made with certified organic goods.

The Australian meat industry is reaching a crisis point, according to Australian Senator John Williams. Williams, while meeting key industry players in Canberra last week, said the meat processing industry was reaching crisis point, with more than 150,000 jobs at risk, compared with about 50,000 in the country's struggling car industry, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. An industry analysis shows from 1980 to 1996 more than one-third of the country's 475 slaughterhouses closed. An average of 100 butcher shops in Sydney close each year, with retailers Woolworths and Coles controlling 50 percent of the market.

Leona Lewis isn't sending out the traditional "Be Mine" Valentine's Day card this year, but one regarding the ban on animals used for cosmetic testing. A passionate animal activist, Lewis sent a Valentine's card to the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, John Dali, requesting his support for the Humane Society International's CrueltyFree2013 initiative against animal testing. Other stars who have joined the campaign against animal testing with Lewis include Ricky Gervais, Dame Judi Dench and Sir Roger Moore.

Ted Danson, the legendary actor best known for his role as "Sam Malone" in the Emmy Award-winning hit television show Cheers, announced his transition to a healthy vegan diet last week as a guest on the Ellen DeGeneres show. Joining the growing list of celebrities going vegan to protect animals, the planet, and their health, Danson said, "I've found that eating vegan the last five or six months has really given me energy, I feel good and I look fabulous." A longtime environmental activist, Danson narrated a documentary about the cruel fishing industry titled The End of the Line, and recently published his first book: Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans And What We Can Do To Save Them.

Phil Collen, co-lead guitarist for Def Leppard has been getting his vegetarian groove on for decades. In an interview with Glide Magazine, the musician talks about his new project, and the health decisions he's made over the span of his career. Oddly enough, going veg doesn't seem to have been a move for his health. The guitarist was actually just really grossed out by the cruelty and the idea of eating a dead body. Collen said, "I was always a little bit of a closet vegetarian. I didn't like the idea of eating a dead body. I've been a vegetarian for like thirty years now. Stuff was bleeding, had veins in it, all of that stuff, and it made me feel really, really disgusted. How am I going to put this in me? The more I got into it, people would be like try this and it actually made me feel nauseous and I didn't want to. You know they torture these animals and they slaughter them, it's a pretty nasty thing. So I felt really good when I actually stopped doing that."

Shocking footage has emerged showing goats forced to fight each other in front of packed crowds. Spectators - including young children - cheer and goad the animals to attack each other in the cruel "sport" in China. Two goats are seen surrounded by crowds in the film, and then pushed towards each other so they clash horns. They are then forced to repeatedly ram each other. More than 40 goats are believed to have been put through the enclosed battles in front of villagers. It is not known if the animals were harmed as a result of the fighting. Locals justify the goat fights claiming that the sick spectacle is part of their traditions. The contests - filmed in Nanyang City in Henan province - are held in the run-up to the Chinese Lantern Festival which follows shortly after the Chinese New Year.

Zoo officials in China are facing condemnation for staging a fire safety campaign for children - by forcing terrified animals to face up to flames and smoke. The shocking displays - at the Chongqing Wild Animal Zoo, in south west China - feature Zhenni the baby chimp in garish orange dungarees, who has been drilled to walk towards a spluttering smoke pot billowing clouds of noxious fumes while operating a fire extinguisher. Another scene features a confused bear named Lala dressed in a basketball vest grappling with a high pressure water hose. And for a sickening finale, trained sea lions were forced to evacuate the stage through smoke and flames led by their trainer. The display - supported by local fire brigade officials - has been condemned by animal welfare experts.

Vegetarians and vegans have coveted Stella McCartney's shoes and purses for years, and it's not just because of the exquisite designs. McCartney doesn't use a drop of animal skin in her products. That includes fur and leather. Now, just in time for New York fashion week, the designer is speaking out and telling the public why animal lovers should avoid wearing all skins. McCartney says in the video, "If you're like me, you've sworn off fur because you know about the gruesome ways animals suffer and die for fur fashions. And what about leather? That's something people don’t think about as much. Anyone who cares about animals or the environment should become informed consumers on this issue."

"Hot in Cleveland" star Wendie Malick is not a fan of the delicacy known as "foie gras," or fattened liver. She has made her stance clear by being the narrator of a video of animal cruelty investigations done by undercover activists. Malick's narration of the undercover activists investigations into Hudson Valley Foie Gras and Sonoma-Artisan Foie Gras showcases the cruel conditions that the ducks are faced with on a daily basis. The investigations run from 2002-2004 with another investigation done in 2011. The activists took video of the ducks living conditions and captured the rescue of several ducks in both California and NY.

The Greek Government has banned the use of all animals in circuses following a campaign by ADI and the Greek Animal Welfare Fund (GAWF), backed by over 50 local animal protection groups across Greece. The new animal protection law also addresses a number of important issues concerning stray animals. Along with Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bolivia, Austria and Croatia have a ban on wild animal acts, and several European countries including Portugala and Denmark have measures to ban or phase out wild animals in circuses.

"I'd rather go naked than wear fur" is one of the most well-known phrases in the animal activist world and now Oscar winner and new mom Penelope Cruz is jumping on the bandwagon and posing for PETA's anti-fur campaign. At least, she looks naked based on the preview. PETA's Lisa Lange said about Cruz's involvement, "Penelope has appeared on every 'best-dressed' list in the world, and the one thing you'll never see her wearing is fur. PETA couldn't ask for a more fitting emblem of the modern, glamorous woman who knows that there's nothing more beautiful than a woman who has a look that kills without anyone having to die for it." New Yorkers will get the full view of a fabulous 70-foot billboard near New York City's Penn Station.

For two horses on the new HBO series Luck - which is set in and around the horse-racing industry - it was only bad luck. While filming the show's pilot, a horse suffered a severe fracture after falling during a race sequence and was euthanized. Another horse was killed while filming a later episode. Two horses died for a couple of hours of television! PETA repeatedly reached out to series creator David Milch and others associated with the HBO production before shooting began, but our efforts were rebuffed. The show's theme is showcasing the dark side of racing, and while it does acknowledge how many thoroughbreds suffer catastrophic breakdowns and how horses are routinely doped, two dead horses in a handful of episodes exemplify the dark side of using animals in television, movies, and ads.

Actress Joanna Lumley is also an animal advocate, having spoken out against the horse carriage industry and long-distance livestock transport. Now Lumley has joined a growing campaign to save Britain's The Farm Animal Sanctuary. According to Horse Talk, the organization run by Janet Taylor is the oldest sanctuary for farm animals in the country, and Taylor is now facing eviction from her farm after fourteen years. The owner originally purchased the farm and gave the land to the sanctuary for their use, but now wants to take the land back. The Farm Animal Sanctuary is currently home to 635 animals who may be euthanized if the campaign is not successful.

On Friday's episode of the "Rachael Ray Show," the celebrity cook donated $150,000 to Heigl’s animal charity, the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, which will be used to help raise awareness about spaying and neutering. The money came from Ray's Nutrish pet foods line, which she founded in 2008 as a way to continuously raise money for animals in need. This isn't Heigl's first effort to raise awareness about the issue of companion animals overpopulation. In November, the actress debuted her Funny or Die "I Hate Balls" video, which aimed to reduce the number of animals in shelters by eliminating "terrible, terrible testicles."

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Animal Friends is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, founded in 2001 with the aim to promote animal protection and animal rights as well as veganism, as ethical, ecological and healthy lifestyle.
Animal Friends Croatia is a member organization of EVU,
Eurogroup for Animals, ECEAE, FFA, IAFC and OIPA.